Combined magneto and battery ignition system.



T. M. MUELLER.

GOMBINED MAGNEIO AND BATTERY IGNITION SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE so, 1909 1 95,985. Patented May 5, 1914:

I V! TNE S SE S LVVENTOR. M .fl/M

ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LHEODOR M. MUELLER, 0F PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS. ASSIGNOR TO PITTSFIELD SPARK COIL COMPANY, OF DALTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA ON OF MASSA- CHUSETTS.

COMBINED MAGNETO AND BATTERY IGNITION SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 30, 1909.

1' '0 all who; it may concern Be it known that I, Tnnonon M. Moi-morn, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, re aiding at Pittsfield, in the county of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Combined Magneto and Battery Ignition Systems, of which the following is a speci fieation.

This invention relates, broadly, to electrical ignition devices and more Specifi y to a construction in which an ignition system having two sources of electrical energy is'praetieally embodied into one system so that, the current from both aourees being em ployed to produce a current in the spark circuit, a two-point switch serving to cut in the magneto for generating a current in the spark circuit and cut out the battery; or. inversely, to out in both the magneto and. the battery; (into the spark. circuit) in which case the primary oi the induction coil of the magneto and the interrupter are included in the battery circuit, the interru uer acting as a timer; and in this combined r-ircuit is included also a vibrator located in operative relation to the poles of the mag neto and having the same function. when the battery circuit is in use, as the vibrator of an ordinary induction dash-board coil has in the well known battery systems of ignition, as generally constructed today.

As further explaining the utility of this invention, its Cl'ltil'utttll'lSiit'S are such that when the magneto is running at such a low rate of speed as to give a very feeble spark, the battery may be switched in circuit. with the magneto, thereby supplementing the energy generated by the latter: In other,

' at very low speede: of rotation of the ar words, in cranking the engine, if the battery is in circuit, not only is the full battery cur rent available, but as much more as may he generatel by the magneto.

In further explanation of the utility of the invention. it may be stated that it for any reason the magneto, as such, becomes inoperative, the battery system will operate as such as long as the armature shaft of the magneto is rotated to properly time the sparking at the gap in the plug, regardlesq f whether any current in produced in the magneto, or not. hen the magneto is running at its maximum capacity, the battery Patented May 5, 1914-.

Serial No, 505,141.

may atill he switched in to augmen the with put of the current in the spark circuit.

Dual ignition systenns. 1 2' at, are not new. but these iHYnlH'. gen rally, one wt of l)2t1l(-]lltl4' with which the battery is eon-- neeted. :1 v uitahle induction coil or coils be in}: included in the battery rim-nit, and the other sy tem romprhine a wparnle set of plugs and connection with a mogul-lo. This invention dill'ers radi ally fl'tllll the eon- Htrueti us heretofore described in that it; embodies a eombinatmn of the mannelo and battery r vstems, which are eoarting, and only one set of spark-plugri-- ;lt+'illl!("l for the use oi either y teu| ,indepomlently, or For the luv ol the magneto upplemented by the battery, only a single switch being required for the put-pow ol' cutting the but tery rurrent into the circuit containing the current generated by the magneto.

'hen it is said. us hliliQd. above, that the loo SlFlElllS may he us d imlependently, nhat is meant thereby is that the battery circuit entirely operative it' the magneto produew no current at all. but the rotation of the armature haft; of the magneto is necessary for use with the battery circuit for the reason that; the morernenla ol' the interrupter are neeemiry to provide for the correct timing: of the sparks at the phage. \Vhen it is tnted that the current from the battery is supplemental to the magneto (urent, when the two source; of energy are uaed together, it is to be understood by this state ment that when the rotation of the armature of the magneto lf-t 5o slowfaa in Starting an engine for example, that an unoatistat tory spark is prodi'leed, the requisite energy in supplied from the battery and lhereiore mature shaft, of the magneto a spark will be produced in the secondary @ullieieut to ignite the charge.

The invention lo illustrated in the accompanying drawing, Which eons-int; of but one figure showing, in a diagrammatic form, a magneto of the. inductor type like the one shown in applican 's prior Letters Patent oi the United tatem dated Dei'tenihct E21, 1909, #SHI UQ'R in which the windings are stationary, (the interrupter of which is aeparated therefrom). a battery, and a vibrator operatively associated with the magnetic this instan e located between and fnl'n ino a b l part ol the magnetic circuit of the polopieces r] of the. nrigneto through which the flux alternately surges); (1 shows the interrupter of the magneto WlllCl] is of the two point contact type, one of these contact points being indicated by the cam f, and the l other hythe pirolallymounted arm r where by two hroahs are made in the primary circult of the indu tion coil to ne revolution of the interrupter. 'lhcreforc, it the ignition system is to he used in COIllltliifil] with a tour-cylimlcr motor, the armature shaft; of the magneto tu'iuld have to run at eraukshaft specd ot' the motor; if with two cylinders, at cant-shaft speed.

The hatter is indicated by it, and the vibrator by 711.

()n the magneto is a condenser mconnect ed around the terminals of the interrupter, and at a suitable point in the batte y circuit is another condenser 0, ptlld tel with the vibrator.

'lhc circuits between the magn to and the sparleplugs are established in the usual manner in setting up high tension niagnetos, and in connecting up the battery to operate in the manner described with the magneto, a vibrator is mounted (as for example in the manner shown in the diawings, on one of the extended polepieces (It one side of the \ihrat'or being connected by the wire g, with one side of the battery, and the other side through the induction coil and interrupter (which. when used in this connection becomes a timer) with the other side of the battery. through the switch r. This part of the circuit is properly grounded at a. that is, connected with the engine 6, With which the outer shell of the spark-plugs is in electrical connection, thus completing the circuit through the plug 1).

The varionscxrcuits are traced as follows: Consider the switch 7* in the dotted position shown the current then flows from the battery in wire q, vibrator l: to the frame of the magneto or ground to the pivotal Contact arm 9 primary winding of the coil 0, hack to the other pole of the battery [1. The current from the battery therefore assists or augments the current generated in the primary of the coil (2 by reason of the allcrnating flux through the core From one extended pole at to the other with the result that the spark rurrent induced in the sectmdary is increased. \Vhcu the timer short circuits or closes the circuit through the primary and battery, as stated, the vibrator is actuated by I the increased llux through the cure and as" l tended pole-pieces a. causing a series of sparks to appear at the plugs in the second" 1 art; or spark circuit. in-n the hattrry i-; i not connected in seri s with the njury f whaling of the indiuztion coil thr iihrator is not; actuated by the surging llux from one pole to the other thion a a the 1 core of the coil. The purpose ot' ti therefore is to in r as the ndu t ii i 1n the secondary uni dang by ra nllv u on 1 mg and closing the cir u ts throng, llrl pi' 1 mar). \Vhen the switch 1' is lliitfwi in they direction indimlcd by the arrow th halter is out out; and the How of the. curr nt is then as Follows:---priniary of coil to the pivotal memher y] to the contact plate hrugi. to the other terminal of the primary. is the rir cuit tl'irongh the primary is in uh: and lnolicn by the can] 1 which is mtur'tt'ti to the armature shalt a. an indnre current is generated in the new ing which is sutlirirnt. alien running at high speed. to fire the engine cylinder. it start it is ncccssarv to use the urrr battery in adtlitinn to that at n 1 generator to start. the tut r. than battery and run with the anaemia Tn )ractiee. the wire p is prm'iilcd with a distriiintcr mechanism for the .vpfltli our rent as conventionally shown in the draw ings. It will -ilso he Fawn that. by mean my ignition sysici n it is us/hie :i; tart tn; engines from the neatof the .1 5e h means of the. current from t i 1 my alone by cl sing the swit h lever n so tut; the can rent from the battery will floo thr igh the 'n'hnarv winding of the coil, it laying understood that the make and hreak militants are closed by the rams, f. This sew-m 1- therefore of the dual ignition type. i .i say current from the batter and that oni the magneto will ignite the charge i134"; the

itt

battery alone is used the vibratoi t; is the opening and closing of the pinion 1i to produce the induction ctioct in t n r.

1. An elertri-al igniti n s i ng a generator tor causing a iin-t it; certain density to flow through the tow tho primal-j and secondary winding t' tlu: cl'atm'. a lllillil' and break device .adst

i ll

Utl

tot

rent in the primary will be generated by the flux from the generator, substantially as described.

2. In an ignition system, the combination with an electric generator of the inductor type with stationary winding, a second source of electric energy, means for connecting the source of the current from said second source of electric energy in series with the field magnetic circuit of the generator, means for producing a magnetic flux 0 a definite density through the core of said coil by the magneto. means including a second source of electric energy for increasing the normal density of the magnetic flux in said core when the same is connected to the primary of the coil, and a vibrator associated with the magnetic field and adapted to be the source of the current produced b the operated by the combined magnetic flux progcnerator, a vibrator associated wit the iluced therein, a make and break device for ticld magnets of the generator and a apt'ed the primary winding electrical connections thereot, spark terminals and connections therefor to the secondary winding.

An electrical ignition system comprising a generator for causing a flux of a certain density to flow through the core of the primary and secondary winding of the generator, a make and break device adapted to be driven by the armature shaft of the genorator, a battery, :1 switch, electrical connections between the primary of the coil, make and break device. battery and switch, whereby when the switch is in one position the current from the battery will be connected in series with the primary ot the coil, and when in another position the battery will be cut out and the current in the primary will be generated by the flux from the generator, substantially as described.

THEODOR M. MUELLER.

Witnesses:

Geo, (,l. MAcGnEoon, Aunnrr H. Fos'rrn.

to be operated by the flux therein which is 'produced by the combined currents from the two sources of electric energy, and a make and break device included in said series circuit, sulstantially as described.

3. In an ignition system, the combination with an electric generator, a second source of electric energy, means for connecting the source of the current from said second source of electrical energy in series with the current produced by the generator, a vibrator associated with the field magnet of the generator and adapted to be operated by the field flux of the generator which is produced by the combined currents from the two sources of electric energy, a make and break device included in said series circuit, and condensers connected across the terminals of the make and break device and the vibrator, substantially as described.

l-. An electric ignition system tor internal combustion engines having in combination with an induction coil forming a part oft til) 

